Black on Both Sides'' is an alternative rap album by Mos Def, released on October 12, 1999 (see 1999 in music). Intended as a return to the roots of hip hop, the album was hailed as a classic soon after its release, despite poor sales. The album's blend of socio-political rhymes with jazz and other unusual sources of samples endeared Mos Def to listeners who had tired of gangsta rap and its cliches.

Table of contents
1 Track listing
2 Personnel
3 Chart positions

Track listing

  1. Fear Not of Man (Smith) - 4:28
  2. Hip Hop (Kirkland/Smith) - 3:16
  3. Love (Njapa/Smith) - 4:23
  4. Ms. Fat Booty (Dorell/Smith) - 3:43
  5. Speed Law (Njapa/Smith) - 4:16
  6. Do It Now performed by Mos Def / Busta Rhymes - 3:49
  7. Got (Muhammed/Smith) - 3:27
  8. Umi Says (Kennedy/Smith) - 5:10
  9. New World Water (Fernandez/Smith) - 3:11
  10. Rock N Roll (Fernandez/Smith) - 5:02
  11. Know That performed by Mos Def / Talib Kweli - 4:03
  12. Climb performed by Mos Def / Vinia Mojica - 4:02
  13. Brooklyn Habitat (Kennedy/Smith/Young) - 5:09
  14. Mr. Nigga performed by Mos Def / Q-Tip - 4:39
  15. Mathematics (Martin/Smith) - 5:12
  16. May-December (Irvine/Njapa/Smith) - 4:06
  17. May-December (Irvine/Njapa/Smith) - 3:29

Personnel

  • Weldon Irvine - Piano, Arranger, Keyboards, Producer, String Arrangements
  • Jane - Design
  • The Beatnuts - Producer
  • Busta Rhymes - Performer
  • Diamond D - Producer
  • DJ Premier - Producer
  • David Kennedy - Producer, Engineer, Mixing
  • Ali Shaheed Muhammad - Producer
  • Vinia Mojica - Vocals
  • Mathias Q-Tip - Performer
  • Mos Def - Bass, Percussion, Conga, Drums, Keyboards, Producer, Vibraphone, Executive Producer
  • Kiku - Design
  • Talib Kweli - Performer
  • 88 Keys - Producer
  • Etch-A-Sketch - Producer
  • Shaka - Executive Producer
  • Psycho Les - Producer
  • Johnny Why - Guitar, Engineer
  • Calablzitaz Tiernaz - Photography
  • Alvaro Gonzalez-Campo - Photography
  • Ayatollah - Producer
  • Ge-Ology - Producer

Chart positions

Billboard (North America) - album
1999	The Billboard 200	                No. 25
1999	Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	                No. 3
Billboard (North America) - singles
1999	Ms. Fat Booty	Hot Rap Singles	                           No. 20
1999	Ms. Fat Booty	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	   No. 54
2000	Ms. Fat Booty 2	Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks           No. 98